The humidification of a respiration gas, which is fed to a patient connected to a Y-piece and a tube through a respirator via a respiration gas line, is always necessary in order to prevent the lobes of the lung and the alveoli from drying out during long-term artificial respiration. Moreover, it is possible to introduce drugs in the form of aerosols into the lungs via the prior-art humidifying devices in order to treat lung diseases or to prevent pulmonary malfunctions. One particular aspect, namely, avoiding dead space volumes in the course of the respiration gas line by adding an atomizer, deserves careful attention, especially in connection with the artificial respiration of premature and newborn babies.
In a device for supplying aerosol into a patient's airways or lungs, which has become known from German Offenlegungsschrift No. DE-OS 36 36 669, an atomizing device, which entrains droplets from a liquid reservoir via a nozzle connected to a gas source and transports them into the respiration gas line, is provided in the inspiration line between a respirator and the patient. The additional gas source, which is formed by the nozzle operated with compressed air, changes the respiration gas volume delivered by the respirator, and it consequently must be taken into account in connection with the setting of the parameters of artificial respiration. In addition, the flow path for the aerosol generated by the nozzle, as well as the liquid reserve container make the dead space volume so large that this prior-art atomizing device is not suitable for the artificial respiration of premature and newborn babies. The expensive design, which has a large space requirement, makes it impossible to arrange the prior-art atomizer close to the patient.
Another prior-art atomizer according to German Offenlegungsschrift DE-OS 33 08 819 provides a heatable pressure vessel, into the interior space of which a liquid is fed and is evaporated there. The vapor thus generated is fed to the respiration gas line via a humidifying line and a controllable valve. This prior-art atomizer cannot be used close to the patient because of its bulky design and its weight, either.